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7 Unique Ideas the Scrapbooking Pros Use to Make a Page Unique
1. Vellum
Vellum is a transparent, translucent material. Vellum can be used to create a slight shadow or shade change to background or embellishment colors. This can be used as a softening agent for baby scrapbooks, as a touch of elegance to...
A New Challenge for Teachers: Encouraging Girls in Science, Math, IT Related Studies & Careers
One key challenge educators face is the importance of encouraging girls to excel in math, science and computer science studies. As technology continues to drive the world of business, those challenged or generally disinterested in science and math...
More Effective Communication with Children - Part 2
How we communicate now.
More Effective Communication with Children - Part 2
Robert Elias Najemy
HOW WE COMMUNICATE NOW
Let us briefly mention how most people communicate now. There are two basic categories; those who suppress...
Our Children's Needs - Part 4
They are expressions of the Divine.
Our Children's Needs - Part 4
Robert Elias Najemy
DO NOT WORRY
Worry is a direct message to our children that we do not feel secure, that we do not feel able to face the tests and difficulties of...
What is Evil Eye?
The Evil Eye has been around since the beginning of time. It simply means sending someone a thought that seems intrusive or invasive or has the power to hurt him or her. The bad fortune that results is considered to have been caused by envy. The...
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Take a Good Look at Fiction
Fiction- Good or Bad for Children?
Ghosts, vampires, demons, wizards...all items you could easily find in a fictional story. Or all items that some parents may feel would give their child nightmares. Is fiction something we should keep away from our children? Two experts in the field of fiction comment.
“First of all fiction is really just a reflection of reality told in a way designed to fire up the imagination. For example, Aesop's and LaFontaine's Fables are books of moral codes for kids and examples of human behavior which are dressed up as fictional parables. If they had been set out in a nonfiction way, they would have seemed dull and boring.
Science Fiction is the one fiction which has inspired people more than any other. For example, many scientists have stated that they only became scientists because of the SF novels they read as kids. Science Fiction can also inspire the young to invent new ideas decades later. In the article above, it mentioned that Arthur C Clarke had written a novel decades ago about a space elevator linking Earth and Space. Now, according to New Scientist, scientists are studying a new material which might serve for that purpose.
Other non-scientists have been inspired by SF as children. The film director James Cameron, for example, lists the SF writers Arthur C Clarke and A E Van Vogt, who he read as a child, as being a major influence on his later career.
SF books can also be a very good way to preach to people about modern-day issues. Frank Herbert, for instance, was always deeply interested in environmentalism, but he realized that if he wrote about the subject merely as nonfiction he would be constantly restricted to writing about dull facts. He therefore created the book "Dune" which is a novel about a desert planet with a fragile ecosystem ruthlessly exploited by Mankind. The result was that this became the bestselling SF novel of all time, and inspired many people to support the environment than would otherwise have been the case.
Generally speaking, SF is a far more imaginative genre than any other type of fiction. Where else, can you dream up entire new worlds, alien societies, different periods of history and different technologies. Other fiction sub genres are restricted by the society or historical period they focus on, so that they often are in danger of becoming clinched and
stereotypical. SF is different in that it has evolved continuously since H G Welles and Jules Verne, with dozens of subcategories such as cyberpunk, soft/hard SF, etc. etc.” -Geoff Purcell
And Sue Kayton comments “I believe that children should read a mix of fiction and non-fiction. The benefits of non-fiction are obvious, but fiction is also necessary for a well-rounded person. Speculative fiction helps kids think about what the future might be like, and encourages them to think outside the box, such as the Harry Potter novels or Jurassic Park. Historical fiction with interesting protagonists helps kids understand what the world used to be like, through the eyes of the ordinary people of the day. Contemporary fiction helps them to understand interpersonal relationships and current issues, especially helpful to adolescents dealing with dating, drugs, and pressure from school and friends. Mystery stories like Sherlock Holmes encourage critical thinking skills, while the reader tries to put two and two together to figure out whodunit. Stories set in other cultures (such as The Good Earth) help students understand other ways of looking at the world.
Most students find fiction easier to read than non-fiction. The best way to become a good writer is to read a wide variety of material, which usually includes copious doses of fiction.”
One book Mysterious Chills and Thrills by Laura Hickey, who's cover has received comments such as “Good Heavens” and “What's happening to his eye” applies “what if” situations that many can apply to their own lives. Many agree...fiction is a tasty morsel right along with non fiction books for children.
About the author:
Laura Hickey is author of the children's book Mysterious Chills and Thrills for Kids. Ten Short Stories to Tickle the Imagination. The E-book of M.C.A.T may be purchased at Cyberread: https://cyberread.com/cr2/Shop/Details.php?product_id=12120
Or at EbookAd : http://www.ebookad.com/eb.php3?ebookid=20938
Visit Laura Hickey's Official Homepage for a Complete Listing of Laura's Articles.
http://www.laurahickey.com
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